If you haven’t already downloaded your SATSA App and registered for access, what are you waiting for? Get access to up-to-date news, invitations to events and most importantly security alerts! The App is a great tool to keep you and your team need to be in the know.

To download the App, simply click on the Google PlayStore and Apple iStore buttons at the bottom of this mailer or visit the stores from your phone and search for SATSA.

If you have lost your username and password or are not receiving notifications, please contact communications@satsa.co.za

SATSA members are invited to visit the TTA Tourism Showcase 2019 exhibition to be held at the CSIR International Convention Centre (CSIR ICC) on Wednesday, 23 January 2019.

Attendance is free and at no cost to registered persons.

The TTA Tourism Showcase is a table-top exhibition featuring over 220 tourism related products and services operating in the City of Tshwane plus additional exhibitions by key tourism industry stakeholders.

Gather information, in one day in one location, on 220+ tourism products and services available in the City of Tshwane (Pretoria & surrounds).

Meet with tourism product and service owners and form valuable partnerships, build networks and form valuable business relationships.

The Department of Tourism in Partnership with the University of South Africa (UNISA) is embarking on Executive Development Program training (EDP) for black women managers in the tourism sector. Therefore; the Department invites nominations of suitably qualified and experienced individuals in your organization to enrol for the Executive Development Programme.

The closing date for the submission is 17 January 2019. Please click here to view the formal advert.

SATSA members are invited to join us for the Exhibitor Briefing Session for Meetings Africa 2019 which will be held in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town.

Africa’s premier business events trade show, Meetings Africa, takes place on the 26th – 27th of February 2019. The Meetings Africa Exhibitor Briefing sessions are crucial for exhibitors to network and engage, as well as become familiar with the Meetings Africa layout.

Shared minds and ideas are critical for not only the exhibitor experience at Meetings Africa 2019 but also the overall success of the African continent. Be sure to be a part of this conversation both at the event itself, as well as at the Exhibitor Briefing Session.

The initial part of the day will be exhibitor briefings pertaining to Meetings Africa 2019, and the second part of the day will be an educational training session on the importance of event greening. The afternoon will also provide some great tips on how to go about ensuring that your stand is environmentally friendly and sustainable.

Taking place on the 25th of February, a day before the opening of Meetings Africa 2019, is BONDay (Business Opportunities Networking Day). This prime education and networking event is a vital must-attend for all those who wish to connect with like-minded individuals, both local and international.

The first public hearing on Eskom’s request to raise electricity tariffs was held in Cape Town on 14 January.

As Nersa has only provided one day and one venue in the Western Cape, the DearSA team’s Ted Blom of the Energy Expert Coalition and Sandra Dickson of STOP CoCT decided to represent all who are unable to be there by personally presenting the voice of the public at the hearing.

The hearing formed the final part of the Public Participation Process during which the public can have a say on the proposed ESKOM tariff increases. During the written call for comment, DearSA routed more than 150 000 emails from the public to NERSA [click here if you have not yet sent a comment].

Can you afford another 60% increase in your electricity account?

ESKOM has already been awarded a backdated 4.41% increase by NERSA for 2019 and is asking a further annual increase of 15% per year for the next 3 years. The total tariff increase asked for is therefore almost 20% per year. This means that your Electricity bill will double over the next three years.

To add to this alarming increase, the City of Cape Town (CoCT) and other municipalities will add their cut on top of this ESKOM increase. It is therefore expected that the annual increase will end up being far more than 20% per year by the time it reaches your utility bill.

If the public remains silent by presenting NERSA with an empty hall or lack of representation, it will be seen as a tacit agreement that the increase is accepted.

Please see below for details of the public hearings in your province. We urge you to attend the hearing but if you are unable to be there, please consider a small donation will allow for you to be presented and argued for lower tariffs. Click here.

It is that time of the year again and SATSA wishes each and every member the warmest of holiday cheer!

Please note that the SATSA office will close on Friday 21 December 2018 and we will reopen on Wednesday 9 January 2019. Should you encounter an emergency during this period you can contact SATSA COO, Hannelie du Toit, on 083 600 3555.

Following an articlepublished by Southern and East African Tourism Update on 15 November – Progress made in tourism vehicle licensing backlog – SATSA remains aware of the continued concerns with applications, specifically with regards to slow processing (some more than two years), changing and unannounced requirements and issues around route authority.

In an effort to assist industry, SATSA created a tracking sheet consisting of applications verified through SATSA (as a value-add service – please note that we do not issue invoices on behalf of NPTR and don’t submit applications on behalf of members) and those submitted directly to NPTR. SATSA currently has 77 application in process with 19 having been concluded successfully.

One of the changes recently implemented is that only the owner of the vehicle can apply for the Operating Licence. Previously a lease document was accepted, but due to specific regulations in the Act this is no longer acceptable. The impact of this on operators would be to ensure that rented vehicles have valid Operating Licences. SATSA is currently seeking clarification from the NPTR on whether the driver of the vehicle needs to be employed by the owner of the vehicle. The amendment bill in process might affect some changes to the ownership regulation, but this is expected to be a long process.

A number of concerns were raised with SATSA regarding route authority specifying the pick-up point at the operators depot/office. The NTPR clarified that the pick-up point should be read as the point from where the vehicle departs – in other words where the vehicle is parked overnight.

Continuing with route authority issues, it became clear very early on that the initially promised national route authority was not going to transpire. Authority is now based on the strength of the application, specifically the reference letters. Members are encouraged to obtain reference letters from each province they wish to conduct tours in and these letters should reference the routes requested in the application. For those members whose route authority has changed, you have the option to apply for amendment of the route now providing greater motivation or you can make an appeal through the Transport Appeal Tribunal. The cost for an amendment to routes will be R300 per vehicle and an application through the Transport Appeal Tribunal will cost R1000.

The NPTR clarified that they often request additional supporting documents to assist the board in identifying authentic tourism applicants. Due to certain public-service taxi routes being oversubscribed, the NPTR have received applications from taxis operators who are now applying under the guise of tourist providers. SATSA strongly advises that all the documentation is completed as thoroughly and in as much detail as possible.

It has been a frustrating process and has had a huge economic impact on the industry, hence SATSA has not stopped lobbying. The latest movement is that David Frost again raised the issue with the Minister of Tourism during the Ministerial Leadership Forum where the Minister promised to take the issue up with the Minister of Transport. SATSA will continue to keep members updated on this.

A BIG thank you to all our fabulous SATSA members for the continued support in 2018!

A quick heads-up on the review requirements…

The annual review process comprises two simple steps 1) membership fee payment, 2) online review including supporting documents. Once both steps are completed you will receive your SATSA 2019 certificate and will be publicised as a member in good standing on the SATSA website. Please remember that only members in good standing will be eligible for SATSA value-adds.

To make payment easier for you we have created an online payment gateway, through our partnership with Bidvest Bank, which allows for credit card payments.

When you receive the online review link, your form would already be populated with the information received from you last year. All you need to do is update any changes to the business, add staff members who would like to receive communication from SATSA, upload the required supporting documents and sign electronically that the information provided is correct.

As ratified at our AGM in August 2018, we have added a whole new list of categories to the system. Please, can we ask that you specifically look at the categories that have been autoloaded by the system. You are welcome to make changes to this to correctly reflect your type of business.

You are also reminded to add any divisions and/or subsidiaries that you might have – free of charge. These should include those in neighbouring countries. Subsidiaries and divisions will receive their own SATSA certificate and only those listed will be covered for SATSA Bonding.

All reviews are due no later than 31 March 2019. Non-renewal will result in membership suspension.

As an association, we have gone from strength to strength in the past couple of years and will do our very best to continue bringing value to you in 2019.

Love Limpopo is the story of a province..,.. an epic love story of wild open spaces, unique experiences and responsible accommodation, ranging from Rural Home Stays and campsites to five-star Safari Lodges. This innovative new online platform, conceived of by the Traveling Circus team, is inspiring new ways of connection to the most incredible province in South Africa. Acting as an online hub to access Limpopo, we celebrate travel experiences found only in Limpopo.

“A long time ago, Limpopo wrote us a love letter and called us to the wild, unexplored spaces… to the starry nights… to the warm-hearted faces. We have explored the hidden places of Limpopo… we have experienced her wild spirit.

From a birds-eye view on mountain peaks to the most secret centre of deep gorges… at a fireside where drums beat a true African rhythm telling tales of a thousand years in one moment….

We fell in love with the pulse… the rhythm. We listened to the storytellers and connected to the tales told through African art. We are in love with the people, the way life unfolds and the path comes up to meet you, creating connections and rediscovering your own rhythm and song in the beauty of Limpopo.”

Lisa Martus, Deon Pienaar and Neil Shaw, the directors of The Traveling Circus started Love Limpopo in 2017, because they felt that Limpopo wasn’t getting the kind of attention it deserves. Since then, the followers on Facebook have rocketed and there is significant reach with the right people, because of the evocative content and inspiring stories about the province.

Love Limpopo is a platform connecting visitors to the inspiring people, immersive experiences and amazing spaces of Limpopo… inviting responsible, youthful and impact travelers to come to Limpopo and meet the music-makers, guides, conservationists, the wanderers, crafters, traditional healers, the artists, Do-ers and dreamers… to explore, discover and connect to the most beautiful province in South Africa.

Lisa says, “Love Limpopo is an online community, a collective of people who share a passion for the culture, wildlife, traditions, flavours, wild spaces and friendly faces of Limpopo. It is a celebration of the rhythm, the true spirit of the Limpopo Province.’

Deon elaborates…’We want to create a space for all to thrive, a travel ecosystem bringing together the most incredible people within the province. Taking a holistic approach allows the industry in Limpopo to grow; enables our communities to flourish and entices our travelers to fall in love with our beautiful province.’

Love Limpopo offers its members evocative content; significant reach to the right domestic markets via a dynamic online platform; access to the country’s top Tourism Trade Shows; support with responsible practices and training with a difference, as well as access to our network of responsible tour operators looking for lodges with heart and authentic, immersive experiences to create unique itineraries for their clients.

Love Limpopo comes from the passionate heart of The Traveling Circus, an organisation which is finding innovative solutions for the tourism industry throughout Southern Africa. ‘Tourism is evolving daily as trends adapt to global concerns. Travellers and businesses are more socially conscious and looking for connection; ways to participate in global sustainability. We saw a demand for impact-tourism and an opportunity to bring communities into that thriving ecosystem. We believe in connections, community and collaboration,’ says Neil

We live in a modern paradox where we are more connected than ever before, but have never felt more isolated. The Traveling Circus operates as a connector within the tourism industry to create ecosystems that thrive, finding links and synergies in real time.

We are passionate about innovation with social impact – creating opportunities for emerging entrepreneurs, artists, guides and communities around tourism hubs and conservation areas to tap into the tourism value chain, leading to a long-term transformation of the social landscape within communities.

Neil believes that ‘with our diverse skills and experience in tourism, community-development and marketing, we are working towards a better world by actively connecting all role-players and by emphasising empowerment, inclusivity and sustainability.’ The founders of the Traveling Circus have been active in the Limpopo tourism landscape for more than twenty years and have built relationships with a large network of tourism product owners across the province as well as numerous local communities, artists, crafters, local guides, and also the various entities and organisations involved in the public sector.

‘We want to actively connect ‘powerhouse’ organisations like SATSA and SAYTC with NGOs, micro-enterprises, domestic and international travellers, permaculture projects, recycling / up-cycling projects and training centres into a holistic social hive, a place for change. We believe that by working to grow resilient communities, that are healthy, educated, and have access to opportunities, we can break the poverty cycle, mitigate against the feeling of disconnect that is occurring within our rural communities, and build a more sustainable local economy to create a better future,’ says Deon.

Lisa is passionate about the potential for the dynamic people within the tourism industry in Limpopo to collaborate to tell their incredible stories so that visitors can make the best travel decisions enabling them to make meaningful connections, have authentic, immersive experiences and life-changing adventures. She says, ’we know you love this province as much as we do. Let’s work together. Let’s love Limpopo.’